KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- IUP's senior linebacker
Garrett Cox was named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Second Team Defense, the organization announced Thursday evening.
The D2Football.com Elite 100 Team was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with input from numerous sitting head coaches as well as professional football scouting veteran Josh Buchanan. The team includes first and second team selections for offense, defense and special teams along with 25 "Squad" players for offense and defense. Squad players are equivalent to "honorable mention" selections in similar national recognition lists.
The PSAC totaled nine athletes onto the Elite 100 Squad. Cox is joined by fellow PSAC players on the Second Team Defense including Todd Hill (Slippery Rock) and Freddie Retter (Kutztown).
Cox becomes the ninth player in IUP program history to be named to this list and first since Duane Brown's recognition in 2022, and is the third defensive player to be awarded.
Cox made a huge impact on the defense for the Hawks as he adds to his list of laurels this season. He earned PSAC First Team, D2CCA All-Super Region One Second Team, AFCA All-America Second Team, and most recently to the Don Hansen All-America Honorable Mention.
Cox ranked fourth in the PSAC with 100 total tackles, reaching that single-season milestone during the season finale against Shippensburg. He ranked third in the conference averaging 10.0 tackles per game. Throughout the first five games of the season, he totaled 41 tackles and finished off the season strong with 59 tackles. He reached a high of 16 total tackles against Seton Hill and a high of eight solo tackles against Shippensburg.
He ranked fourth in the conference averaging 1.35 tackles for loss per game and ended with 13.5 tackles for a combined 50-yard loss. Cox also marked four quarterback hurries and three pass breakups.
IUP closed the 2024 season with a 38-7 defeat over Shippensburg at Miller Stadium, securing its 14th consecutive winning season.
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